According to a recent report in Outlook India, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) has made a recommendation for central government legislation of online betting in a “white paper”.
However, on Sunday the current Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Vijay Goel, informed the newspaper that he has not yet seen any such proposal. Goel revealed that no such proposal has been made to him and that he is against betting. He added that he is one of those who banned gambling but that the final decision rests with the Government of India.
It has also been reported that the AIGF’s “white paper” has been submitted to the Law Commission of India.
The Indian Express has, in contrast, reported that the national Sports Ministry has begun legislative groundwork in order to legalize online sports betting in India but that it may be two years before a full draft of the proposed legislation is ready for publication.
It has also been revealed that the Sports Ministry may seek assistance from its counterparts in the United Kingdom where gaming is legal and that Sports Secretary, Injeti Srinivas, who is presently in England, is likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in which online sports betting will be one of the main points.
According to an unidentified senior Ministry official, the UK has one of the most effective gambling laws and they are hoping to understand their system to see if it is possible to introduce it in India.
The illegal betting market in India is said to be worth $150 billion, most of which is via local bookmakers and unregulated offshore websites. Betting is currently only legal on horse racing that is taxed at 28% under GST.